Caladium plant named &#39;Tickle Me Pink&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant named ‘Tickle Me Pink’, characterized by its intermediate height and upright and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; lance-type leaves that have dark green-colored margins, rose red venation and interveinal areas that are green, tan green and rose red mosaic; petioles that are green or tan pink in color with darker-colored stippling and tessellations; and above average tolerance to wind.

Botanical designation: Caladium X hortulanum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘TICKLE ME PINK’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant, botanically known as Caladium X hortulanum, commercially referred to as a lance leaf-type Caladium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Tickle Me Pink’.

The objective of the Inventor's breeding program is to create new Caladium plants that have uniform plant habit, exceptional container and garden performance and attractive and unique leaf coloration.

The new Caladium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2010 in Avon Park, Fla. of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Florida Sweetheart’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,526, as the female, or seed, parent with Caladium X hortulanum ‘White Wonder’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,044, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Caladium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. in September, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Caladium plant by “chipping” the tubers (cutting the tuber into segments with each segment containing an axillary bud and tuber cortical tissue) in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. since April, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Caladium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Caladium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Tickle Me Pink’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Tickle Me Pink’ as a new and distinct Caladium plant:

-   -   1. Intermediate in height and upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3 Lance-type leaves that have dark green-colored margins, rose         red venation and interveinal areas that are green, tan green and         rose red mosaic.     -   4. Petioles that are green or tan pink in color with         darker-colored stippling and tessellations.     -   5. Above average tolerance to wind.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Florida Sweetheart’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium are taller than plants of ‘Florida         Sweetheart’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium grow faster and finish about two         weeks earlier than plants of ‘Florida Sweetheart’.     -   3 Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Florida Sweetheart’ differ in         leaf color as leaves of ‘Florida Sweetheart’ have dark         pink-colored venation, rose pink-colored interveinal areas with         greenish white-colored margins.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘White Wonder’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium are taller than plants of ‘White         Wonder’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘White Wonder’ differ in leaf         color as leaves of ‘White Wonder’ are white to grey-green in         color with light pink to white-colored venation and dark         green-colored borders.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘White Wonder’ differ in leaf         petiole color as plants of ‘White Wonder’ have tan green-colored         leaf petioles with darker-colored stripes.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Puppy Love’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,424. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of ‘Puppy Love’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium grow faster and finish about one         week earlier than plants of ‘Puppy Love’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Caladium are ovate in shape         whereas leaves of plants of ‘Puppy Love’ are ovate to lanceolate         in shape.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Puppy Love’ differ in leaf         color as leaves of ‘Puppy Love’ are rose red in color with rose         red-colored venation and green to whitish green-colored margins.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Blushing Bride’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,213. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of ‘Blushing Bride’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium are taller than plants of         ‘Blushing Bride’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium grow faster and finish about one         week earlier than plants of ‘Blushing Bride’.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Blushing Bride’ differ in         leaf color as leaves of ‘Blushing Bride’ are greyed         purple-colored leaves with dark green-colored margins and         whitish-colored venation tinged with greyed purple.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Caladium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Caladium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Tickle Me Pink’ in a container and grown in a shadehouse (tuber de-eyed). The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of the female parent, ‘Florida Sweetheart’ (right), ‘Tickle Me Pink’ (center) and the male parent, ‘White Wonder’ (left).

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of ‘Puppy Love’ (left), ‘Tickle Me Pink’ (center) and ‘Blushing Bride’ (right).

The photograph at the top of the third sheet is a comparison view of typical plants of ‘Tickle Me Pink’ grown in containers; the plant on the left has not had its tuber de-eyed and the plant on the right has had its tuber de-eyed prior to planting.

The photograph at the bottom of the third sheet is a side perspective view of typical plants of ‘Tickle Me Pink’ grown in an open field.

The photograph at the top of the fourth sheet is a close-up view of typical freshly-harvested tubers with roots and leaf petioles of ‘Tickle Me Pink’.

The photograph at the bottom of the fourth sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Tickle Me Pink’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse (50% light reduction) in Avon Park, Fla. and plants grown in ground beds under full sunlight conditions in an outdoor nursery in Crewsville, Fla. The plants were grown under cultural practices typical of commercial shadehouse and outdoor nursery production. During the production of the shadehouse-grown plants, day temperatures ranged from about 28° C. to 33° C., night temperatures ranged from about 22° C. to 25° C. and light levels were about 8,000 foot-candles. During the production ofthe outdoor nursery-grown plants, day temperatures ranged from about 29° C. to 35° C., night temperatures ranged from about 23° C. to 26° C. and light levels were about 10,000 to 12,000 foot-candles. Plants grown in the shadehouse were eight weeks old and plants grown in the outdoor nursery were 7.5 months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Caladium X hortulanum ‘Tickle Me Pink’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Caladium X hortulanum ‘Florida             Sweetheart’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,526.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Caladium X hortulanum ‘White             Wonder’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,044. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By “chipping” the tubers.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven to ten days at             temperatures about 32° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at             temperatures about 24° C.         -   Tuber description (outdoor nursery-grown             plants).—Appearance: Multi-segmented; individual segments             elliptic to ovate in shape. Height: About 3.8 cm. Diameter:             About 5.4 cm to 9.8 cm. Segment height: About 3.1 cm.             Segment diameter: About 3.6 cm to 5.4 cm. Axillary buds             size: About 4 mm by 4 mm. Texture: Thick, starchy; somewhat             brittle. Color: Epidermis, freshly-harvested: Close to 199B             and 158D. Epidermis, dried: Close to 200A. Cortical tissue:             Close to 2D. Axillary buds: Close to 36B. Root description:             Thick, fleshy contractile roots with few lateral branches;             color, close to 155C. Rooting habit: Dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial; suitable as a potted plant             in containers 15-cm to 25-cm and suitable as a landscape             plant in shaded areas.         -   Plant and growth habit.—Intermediate in height and upright             to mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid             growth rate; potted plants in finished or saleable form in             about eight weeks after planting tubers; leaf petioles and             leaves arise from one or more growing points on tubers; leaf             petioles initially upright and outwardly leaning to arching             with development.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of foliar plane,             shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 24 cm to 31 cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of inflorescences,             shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 27.8 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread, shadehouse-grown potted             plants.—About 33 cm to 39 cm.         -   Number of shoots per plant, shadehouse-grown potted plants,             tubers not de-eyed.—About two develop per #1 tuber.         -   Number of shoots per plant, shadehouse-grown potted plants,             tubers de-eyed.—About two to three develop per #1 tuber.         -   Cataphylls, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Length: About             4.5 cm to 8 cm. Width: About 1 cm to 1.2 cm. Shape:             Wedge-shaped or lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate to emarginate.             Base: Sheathing the stem. Color, inner surface: Close to             N155D; colors and patterns on the outer surface are visible             on the inner surface. Color, outer surface: Close to N155D             tinged with close to 182D and streaked and stippled with             close to 147A tinged with close to N200A; with development,             color becoming closer to 199B and 200C flushed with close to             187B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement and type.—Alternate; simple; lance-type.         -   Length, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 19 cm to 30             cm.         -   Width, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 12 cm to 16 cm;             when flattened, about 12.5 cm to 17.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Sagittate to peltate.         -   Margin.—Entire; wavy with broad undulations.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,             glabrous; dull sheen.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             slightly glaucous and dull sheen.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Developing and fully             developed leaves, upper surface: Background color: Close to             147A. Margins: Close to 147A; thin leaf edge, close to 187B.             Basal notch: Close to 187B. Midvein and primary venation:             Close to 53B tinged with close to 185B and close to 53A to             53B surrounded by close to 53C, 53D and 185A. Interveinal             areas: Mosaic, close to 147A, 147B, 146A, 159D, 185C and             185D. Developing and fully developed leaves, lower surface:             Background color: Close to 191A and close to 191A tinged             with close to 189A. Margins: Close to 191A and close to 191A             tinged with close to 189A; thin leaf edge, close to 187B.             Basal notch: Close to 187C. Midvein: Close to 159D tinged             with close to 182D, variably streaked with close to 184D and             surrounded by close to 185C and 185D. Primary venation:             Close to 159D tinged with close to 194D with occasional             flecks, close to 184D and surrounded by close to 185C and             185D. Interveinal areas: Mosaic, close to 147B, 147C, 146B,             184C, 185D and 191B.         -   Petioles.—Aspect: Initially upright and straight and             outwardly leaning and arching with development; flexible.             Length, shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 15 cm to             23 cm. Diameter, distally, shadehouse-grown potted plants:             About 4 mm to 5 mm. Diameter, proximally, shadehouse-grown             potted plants: About 6 mm to 9 mm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, shadehouse-grown potted plants: When             developing and fully developed: Close to 199D tinged with             close to 181D and 147C stippled, streaked and tessellated             with close to 147A. Wing length, shadehouse-grown potted             plants: About 4.7 cm to 6 cm. Wing diameter,             shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 1 cm. Texture and             luster, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             glossy, distally, glaucous. Wing color, shadehouse-grown             potted plants: Inner surface: Close to N155D; colors and             patterns on the outer surface are visible on the inner             surface. Outer surface: Close to 147C and 146C tinged with             close to 181D and 147C stippled streaked and tessellated             with close to 147A. -   Inflorescence description: Inflorescences observed on twelve     week-old shadehouse-grown potted plants.     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement.—Upright hooded spathes             surrounding a columnar spadix borne on a tall upright scape;             spadix with sessile, simple female and male flowers             separated into two zones; female flowers develop on the             proximal one-third of the spadix; male flowers develop on             the distal two-thirds of the spadix; sterile flowers develop             at junction of female and male flower zones; near this             junction, the spathe constricts and surrounds and encloses             the female flowers; spathe open and cupped around male             flowers.         -   Fragrance.—Night-fragrant; jasmine-like with camphor note.         -   Natural flowering season and flower longevity.—Plants of the             new Caladium typically flower during the spring in central             Florida; flowers develop about twelve weeks after growth             commences; inflorescences last about three days before             fading; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length, overall: About 12.2 cm. Length, distal open             portion: About 8.5 cm. Length, proximal closed portion:             About 3.7 cm. Width, distal open portion: About 2.2 cm.             Depth, distal open portion: About 2 cm. Width, at             constriction: About 1.2 cm. Width, proximal closed portion:             About 2.2 cm. Shape, open portion: Narrowly elliptic. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire; smooth. Texture,             front and rear surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster, front             surface: Dull sheen. Luster, rear surface: Dull sheen,             slightly glaucous. Color, front surface: Distal open             portion: Close to 157A; with development, color distally             becoming closer to 199A. Proximal closed portion: Close to             194C; towards the base, darkly flushed, mottled and streaked             with close to N186C and N186D; color does not change with             development. Color, rear surface: Distal open portion: Close             to 157A and 150D mottled with close to 148C and 148D; color             does not change with development. Proximal closed portion:             Close to 148C and 147C mottled and flecked with close to             148D; color does not change with development.         -   Spadix.—Length, overall: About 8.2 cm. Length, male flower             zone: About 4.7 cm. Length, sterile zone: About 1.5 cm.             Length, female flower zone: About 2 cm. Diameter, male             flower zone: About 9 mm. Diameter, sterile flower zone:             About 6 mm. Diameter, female flower zone: About 1 cm. Shape:             Columnar, spindle-shaped. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Aspect:             Upright. Color, mature, male zone: Close to 159C. Color,             mature, sterile zone: Close to 159D. Color, mature, female             zone: Close to 158C. Male flowers: Quantity per spadix:             About 220. Shape: Obovate. Height: About 2 mm. Diameter:             About 2.5 mm. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close             to 9D. Female flowers: Quantity per spadix: About 200.             Shape: Obovate. Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Stigma color: Close to 11D. Ovary color: Close to 158C.         -   Scape.—Length: About 15.6 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Strength: Sturdy; flexible. Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous; dull sheen, slightly glaucous.             Color: Close to 199D tinged with close to 181D and 147C             stippled, streaked and tessellated with close to 147C;             distally, close to 147C faintly stippled and streaked with             close to 200C to 200D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Caladium. -   Pathogen & pest tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been     observed to have average tolerance to Pythium Root Rot and above     average tolerance to Xanthomonas Leaf Spot. Plants of the new     Caladium have not been observed to have resistance to pests and     other pathogens common to Caladium plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 7° C. to about     40° C. and are suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8A to 11. In cooler     zones, tubers can be “lifted” prior to first freeze and stored in a     cool dry environment to overwinter for re-planting the following     spring. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Caladium plant named ‘Tickle Me Pink’ as illustrated and described. 